Rob Samouce writes articles and newsletters which are of interest to community associations, condominium associations and homeowners associations. The articles have been published in the Naples Daily News (www.naplesnews.com) and the newsletters are periodically sent to our clients. Those articles and newsletters that are listed below, and can be searched by key words in the articles or by date the article appeared in the Naples Daily News.
HOA House Bill 1203 Becomes LawAugust 12, 2024 - 2:10 PM
“Surfside” Condo Bills SB 4-D and SB 154 are Law of the LandJuly 1, 2023 - 11:10 AM
HOA House Bill 1203 Becomes Law
/in Condominium Associations, Condos and HOA'sHouse Bill 1203 approved by the Florida Legislature and signed by the Governor of Florida is a mixed bag of 44 pages of new laws affecting Homeowners Associations that will become effective on 7/1/24. House Bill 1203 is a large and wordy bill covering numerous topics concerning the governance and operation of Homeowners Associations (not […]
Condo House Bill 1021 Becomes Law
/in Condominium Associations, Condos and HOA'sHouse Bill 1021 approved by the Florida Legislature and signed by the Governor of Florida on 6/14/24, is a mixed bag of laws affecting Condominium Associations that will become effective on 7 /1 /24. House Bill 1021 is an extensive bill covering numerous topics concerning the governance and operation of Condominium Associations (not HOA’s- they […]
“Surfside” Condo Bills SB 4-D and SB 154 are Law of the Land
/in Condominium AssociationsFlorida Senate Bill 154, approved by the Florida Legislature on 5/3/23 and signed by the Governor of Florida on 6/9/23, tweaks Florida Senate Bill 4-D that became law on 3/26/22 in response to the collapse of the Surfside hi-rise in Miami. Senate Bill 4-D requires new mandatory milestone structural inspections, structural integrity reserve studies and […]
Do you need to have a “physical place” for your association meetings?
/in Condominium Associations, Condos and HOA'sDuring the early Covid times many Associations moved their board and members meetings to Zoom or to Telephone Conference under emergency powers granted by the Governor and the Legislature to Condominium and Homeowners Associations. For Condominium Associations, Section 718.1265(1)(a), Florida Statues and for Homeowner’s Associations, Section 720.316(1)(a), Florida Statutes state that if a State of […]
Your assigned condo parking space may be more valuable if it is transferable
/in Condominium Associations, Condos and HOA'sIn the vast majority of Residential Condominium in Southwest Florida, the Developers have assigned certain parking spaces to certain units as limited common elements appurtenant to those units. Chapter 718, Florida Statutes defines limited common elements as: “those common elements which are reserved for the use of a certain unit or units to the exclusion […]
Florida Senate Bill 4-D Part II
/in Condominium Associations, Condos and HOA'sLast month we looked at the requirements for Mandatory Milestone Structural Inspections for condominium and cooperative buildings that are three (3) stories or more in height before 12/31/24 under Florida Senate Bill 4-D approved in a special session of the Florida Legislature this year in response to the Surfside hi-rise collapse in Miami last year. […]
Florida Senate bill 4-D Approved in Special Legislative Session
/in Condominium Associations, Condos and HOA'sOn May 26, 2022, the Governor of Florida signed into law Senate Bill 4-D in response to the Surfside hi-rise collapse in Miami. In order to minimize the chances of similar residential building collapses in the future, the new law will require mandatory structural inspections, structural integrity reserve studies and removal of waiver of reserves […]
Who is going to button down before and clean up after the next hurricane?
/in Condominium Associations, Hurricane ProtectionWe found out from Irma and Wilma that it is not a good idea to have loose items left outside a home or condominium unit and that the power can be out for many days after the hurricane passes. The loose items can blow around damaging themselves and other property and food can rot quickly […]
When do Condominium Associations need to get competitive bids?
/in Condominium AssociationsThe Snow Birds are returning North so now begins the time, when less residents are around, for many Condominium and Homeowners’ Associations to perform needed building repairs and/or do that exciting lobby, social room or clubhouse renovation. When hiring contractors to perform the repairs or renovations, we are often asked whether the Association needs to […]
The Surfside Tower collapsed last year in Miami and the Surfside Bills collapsed in this year’s Florida Legislature
/in Condominium AssociationsThere were two Florida Senate bills and one House of Representative bill considered by the Florida Legislature in this year’s session to address the collapse of the Surfside Tower last year. The intent of the proposed bills were to help prevent similar Condo Building collapses in the future. The bills were withdrawn prior to legislative […]